June Climate Summary - Warmest June On Record

NIWA is today officially
announcing that New Zealanders have just experienced the
warmest June since records began in 1909.

The June Climate
Summary is attached.Highlights include:• An
exceptionally warm start to winter• Dozens of climate
stations placed in the top four for warmest June ever
recorded• Nationwide average temperature in June 2014
was 10.3°C surpassing the previous record for warmest June
in 2003.• There have now been nine Junes since 1909
where the departure from average has been greater than
1.0°C.• Of those 9 instances, 5 have occurred since
the year 2000 and 8 since the year 1970.

--

Temperature It was an exceptionally
warm start to winter in terms of both intensity and coverage
with just about all of New Zealand, from the top of the
North Island to the bottom of the South Island, reporting
above normal (0.51-1.20°C above average) to well above
normal (more than 1.20°C above average) temperatures for
June. In fact, dozens of climate stations placed in the top
four for warmest June ever recorded, with New Zealand’s
Seven Station Series recording the warmest June on record of
10.3°C.

RainfallEarly winter rain
was above normal (120-149% of June normal) to well above
normal (150% or greater of the June normal) for most of the
Northland, Auckland, Waikato and coastal Bay of Plenty
regions. Conversely, below (50-79% of June normal) to well
below normal rainfall (less than 50% of June normal) for
much of the Taranaki, interior Bay of Plenty, and south
coastal Hawke’s Bay as well as much of the
Manawatu-Wanganui regions. South Island rainfall was just
as wide ranging with parts of eastern Canterbury, coastal
Marlborough and Nelson regions receiving above or well above
normal rainfall for June. Meanwhile, below or well below
rainfall was recorded in a good part of the Otago and
Southland regions. Most other locations in New Zealand
received near normal June rainfall (within 20% of
normal).

Soil MoistureAs of 1 July
2014, after a very dry summer for much of the North Island,
soil moisture levels are now at typical levels for this time
of year for most locations. The exception is parts of the
Hawke’s Bay where some coastal areas are drier or much
drier than normal for this time of year. Soils remain quite
saturated for most of the eastern part of the South Island,
in particular coastal Marlborough, Canterbury and northern
parts of the Otago regions. All other parts of the South
Island have soil moisture levels that are typical for this
time of year.

SunshineSunshine was
near normal (90 to 109% of normal) for much of the North
Island. However, the central North Island from Taumarunui
to Palmerston North received well above normal sunshine
(more than 125% of June normal) to begin the winter season.
Most of the South Island also received near normal sunshine;
however, there were also exceptions with pockets of below
normal sunshine (75 to 89% of June normal) over the Otago
region with spotty areas of well below normal (less than 75%
of June normal) sunshine over coastal Southland.

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